The Nigerian Senate, Friday, concluded the screening exercise for 42 non-career Ambassadors-Designate, including two senior editors forwarded to it by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Chairman of The New Diplomat, Mr. Oma Djebah and the immediate past Editor-in-chief of the Guardian newspaper, Mr. Debo Adesina were among the last batch of Ambassadors-Designate screened on Friday by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa (Bauchi). Also, ten other Ambassadors-Designate were screened alongside the ace journalists for the day.
Recall President Buhari had sent the list of the Ambassadors-Designate to the Senate a fortnight ago. However, the screening exercise commenced on Wednesday after the senate in plenary referred the communication from the President to the foreign affairs committee last week.
While screening Djebah, Senator James Manager, a member of the Senate Committee, representing Delta South reimposed confidence in the ability of The New Diplomat’s publisher, noting that his credentials, qualifications, and experience in diplomacy had adequately equipped him over the years to give Nigeria an excellent representation on the global stage.
Manager reminded the Committee that among other notable public assignments and positions where Djebah had left record of indelible performance, he has served as a former Commissioner for Information and Senior Advisor on Foreign Relations in Delta State.
He said given his antecedents and pedigree, he was happy to vouch for his integrity and competence for the post of an ambassador and therefore pleaded for the ‘take-a-bow’ privilege.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu who backed the plea by his colleague, also vouched for the public service records and professional integrity of the Ambassador-Designate.
Following the plea by Manager and Kalu, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Bulchakuwa accorded Djebah, the rare privilege of taking a bow before the Committee members.
Djebah has worked as the Group Political Editor of THISDAY and later Deputy Editor of the newspaper before his appointment as Delta State Commissioner for Information in 2007.
In 2006, he became the second journalist to serve on a UN high-level panel on New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in New York.
Also, Adesina who just left his role as the Editor-in-chief of the Guardian, is a six-times recipient of the Editor of the Year Award from Nigerian Guild of Editors.
The Ambassador-Designate was also a young global leader at the 2008 World Economic Forum.
Other non-career Ambassadors-Designate screened on Friday are: Abubakar Ibrahim Siyi – Bauchi; Paul Ogar Adikwu – Benue; Jazuli Imam Galadanci – Kano; Dare Awoniyi – Kogi; and Ibrahim Kayode Laro – Kwara. Others were Abioye Bello – Kwara; Zara Maazu Umar – Kwara; Nimi Akinkugbe – Ondo; Debo Adesina – Oyo; Folakemi Akinyele – Oyo; and Suleiman Sani – FCT.
